The City has submitted the proposed 2017–2018 Operating and Capital Budget to the City Council and will hold a public hearing on Tuesday, August 29 at 5:30 p.m. to review the budget. The hearing will be held in the City Council Chambers, City Hall, 326 Pujo Street. 

The City’s General Fund revenue projections of $75.7 million will adequately fund operational expenses of $75.2 million. The proposed operating budget is a balanced budget based on current revenue projects. Sales tax revenue accounts for 66 percent of all General Fund revenue and is proposed to increase by two percent over the current year’s projections. General Fund expenditures of $75.2 million are an increase of 3.3 percent over the fiscal year 2017 adopted budget. Public safety expenses for the Fire and Police Departments make up 54 percent of the budget; Public Works Departmental expenses account for an additional 25.7 percent. 

General Fund reserves of $4 million are proposed to be used in fiscal year 2018 to fund capital projects such as wastewater and drainage. It is projected that fund balance reserves will total $28 million at the end of fiscal year 2018, which totals 37 percent of operating expenditures and transfer.  The City’s target is 30 percent reserve balance. 

The proposed Capital Budget of $32 million includes $5.2 million in new funding for drainage projects and initiatives. This amount compares to $3 million allocated for drainage improvements in the previous fiscal year. The additional investment in drainage has been achieved not through additional taxes, but rather through good fiscal policy and budget prioritization. The proposed Capital budget also includes $8.5 million for street projects, $8 million for wastewater projects, and $5.6 million for water projects. 

In addition to funding for drainage, Mayor Hunter has several initiatives such as juvenile crime, attainable housing and the possibility of a Satellite SEED Center in North Lake Charles for which funding is included to begin addressing these concerns. 

All citizens of Lake Charles are invited to attend this meeting and to present questions or comments concerning the proposed budget.

The entire proposed budget and accompanying budget letter are available for public inspection in the Office of the Mayor on the 10th floor of City Hall, 326 Pujo St.; on the City’s website, www.cityoflakecharles.com; and the following Calcasieu Parish libraries: Epps Branch, 1320 N. Simmons St.; Carnegie Memorial Branch, 411 Pujo St.; and Central Library, located at the intersection of Ernest St. and West Claude St.